So a couple of days ago I found a bumblebee. No big news there right? Well, this one was different than I had ever noticed before!
This is a male American Bumble Bee (Bombus pensylvanicus)! It’s usually the species that I find here.
Here is the rear of the one above. So pretty, eh! Furthermore I don’t see the males as often as I do the female American Bumble Bees.
This is a female seen earlier in the summer on a thistle. They love the thistles (Cirsium).
But wait you are asking? What is the breaking news? Here it comes!
I knew it was different as soon as I saw the long black abdomen. With help from my friend James the ID was confirmed as the Southern Plains Bumble Bee (Bombus fraternus)! James calls it the flying Vienna sausage. 🙂
Another view!
Of course I took as many shots I could get while not even knowing what it was. 🙂
But wait there is more! Having the above one on the 9th, I wondered if I might find more.
Today I found the female Southern Plains Bumble Bee (Bombus fraternus)! James said “This species has a pretty distinctive hair flow pattern, where the hair lies flatter instead of standing on end, making them slicker and less fuzzy.” He also mentioned that the hair reminds him of a young Eminem.
Starring right at me! Do you see the other critters too?
What a cool find! A fuzzy black butt bumblebee. With the mosquito spraying the county has done in my ‘hood, bumblebee numbers, along with a whole lot of other pollinators, have significantly declined.
Saved the restoration article so I can really read it over the weekend.
I have long had a chart of the different bumblebee species but gave up looking for species other than the American. I need to start checking again. They adore my wisteria as little else is blooming so early in the spring.
I found American bumbles on mealy blue sage at my neighborhood entry island garden this summer, and also at the Molly Hollar Wildscape in Arlington. Hopefully that’s a positive trend!
Yay congratulations!!!!
:-0
I see the spider with the bumble and something else i cant identify. What is it?
sweat bee.
What a great find! Bet you’ll be looking for more!
Interesting article on grassland restoration studies – food for thought.
Yes a lot food!
Crab spider and some other flying insect.
That bumblebee is really unique. What a great find.
I was tickled pink just to find another species. And it being B. fraternus was icing on the cake.
Hey this species of bumblebee has been sighted about a mile from me a year ago. I will have to pay more attention. Our common species is the Sonoran.
For sure. Of course you are always paying attention. 🙂
What a cool find! A fuzzy black butt bumblebee. With the mosquito spraying the county has done in my ‘hood, bumblebee numbers, along with a whole lot of other pollinators, have significantly declined.
Saved the restoration article so I can really read it over the weekend.
You need more bats. They eat a ton of mosquitoes!
I have long had a chart of the different bumblebee species but gave up looking for species other than the American. I need to start checking again. They adore my wisteria as little else is blooming so early in the spring.
I think I probably have the same chart. Not sure that it is that useful. There is a lot of various between queens, workers and males.
I found American bumbles on mealy blue sage at my neighborhood entry island garden this summer, and also at the Molly Hollar Wildscape in Arlington. Hopefully that’s a positive trend!
Fingers crossed!!!